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Saint Mark's Square is the main square of Venice. Once upon a time, back in the 9th century, this place was a small field, and only towards the end of the 18th century did it become the way it can be seen today.
Mark's Square is shaped like a trapezoid, 175 meters long, 82 meters wide and 56 meters wide. The building of the Old Procurations is located in the northern part of the square, and the building of the New Procurations is located in the southern part. In the northern part of St. Mark's Square, there is also a clock tower, the bell of which is beaten every hour by the statues installed here. The dial of the clock tower itself is decorated with the signs of the zodiac.
On the square is the main attraction - the Basilica of St. Mark. This is the Cathedral of Venice, thanks to which the square got its name. Until the beginning of the 19th century, the cathedral was a court chapel at the Doge's Palace. Over time, it became the religious and political center of the Venetian Republic, various major official events were held here, such as the coronation of the doges, the blessing of the military before going to battle. By the way, it was in the Cathedral of St. Mark that Marco Polo was blessed before his departure.
During the construction of the Cathedral of St. Mark, several styles were used, but the Byzantine one is most often traced. The building is a Greek cross, inside you will see an iconostasis, mosaics, statues of the apostles.
Today, divine services are held in St. Mark's Cathedral, Christian pilgrims from different parts of the world come here.
The tower in St. Mark's Square was once a beacon for ships. In the tower shaft, people guilty of unrighteous deeds were tortured. There are also historical documents that say that people were even put in special cages, which were then hung outside. For example, those ministers of the church who were caught in homosexual relationships were put into these cells.
Some historians write that Galileo Galilei showed his telescope in the tower of St. Mark, and it was then that the world first saw and learned about such an apparatus.
A weather vane in the form of the Archangel Gabriel is installed on the roof of the bell tower - the statue is almost two meters high. You should definitely visit the tower, because from it you will have a beautiful view of Venice, which you can admire endlessly. Finding the tower, once in St. Mark's Square, will not present any difficulty for you - you will immediately recognize it when you see the statue of the Archangel Gabriel on the roof. This tower is very popular with tourists who come to Venice, so we strongly recommend that you visit this interesting and beautiful place.
To learn more about the possibility of visiting the square, the Cathedral and the tower of St. Mark in Venice, you can contact our managers. You can also book a tour to Venice online on our website!
